New Students and Hidden Power
by jabshadow
Summary: The Furious Five and the Dragon warrior are away on mission, and have requested the training of new students to take their place in the time being. Testers were sent out, and new students chosen. Now, all the students are being brought to the temple, and they have more in common than just passing the tests. Are they merely new warriors, or is there more to adding a new five?
1. Chapter 1

I own none of the kung fu panda stuff, blah blah, etc etc, you get the picture. Enjoy.

The Jade Palace was just as incredible as he had been led to believe in all the stories and tales he had heard. Heavy, wooden doors with intricate carvings opened before him on perfectly oiled hinges, large rhino guards standing silently at the ready, their eyes peeking out from under their helms. The courtyard was empty save for the guards and flapping banners. Inside the past another set of doors was the main hall, the Hall of Warriors. Jade pillars sprouted from a jade floor, as if the entire room was carved from a giant block. At the end of the hall was a pool, surrounded by candles and shelves upon shelves of scrolls, where Master Shifu was perched on his staff.

Shifu's ear twitched as they got closer, and without warning or sound, he back flipped high into the air, landing noiselessly in front of him, staff landing in his outstretched paw. Opening his eyes, he looked up at the two tigers before him. "So this is the young one you spoke of?"

The elder tiger nodded, her greying orange fur standing out next to the dark fur of the young one next to her. "This is he. His name is Jab Shadowfang. His parents were stricken by fever, and he has passed all the tests your messengers have brought."

"I'm seventeen sir, not a young cub." Jab said, keeping a respectful tone. None the less, his elder gave him a small slap on the back of the head, more of a showing he was wrong than a physical discipline.

"Mind your manners. This is Master Shifu. He will be taking care of, and teaching, you from now on."

Shifu nodded to the elder, and then turned his gaze to Jab. "Are you ready to join the ranks of the student life? This will be no mere training. This won't be something you do in your free time. This will become your life, your calling, your career. There is no leaving once in."

Jab looked down at the ground and took a deep, steadying breath before looking back at his master. "I am ready. I want to make my parents proud of me. To know that their lives, their strength, and their teachings, will live on through me, and been seen by the world."

Shifu smiled and bowed. "Then train hard, work hard, study hard, and everything you desire will be yours." He waved to a guard, who walked over. "He will lead you to your room. We will meet at supper in the dining room." Jab and the elder bowed, and then followed the guard out. Shifu watched the young tiger leave, then turned and looked at the lines of scrolls on the wall. "Don't worry. He's not replacing you. He will help though. They will all help." He sighed, his ears drooping. "And we need all the help we can get."

The living quarters were square and mostly empty. His room was farthest down the hallway on the left, slightly larger than the others due to the fact it was in the corner. A small chest and a bamboo bed filled the room, and on top of the chest were ink, pen and paper, along with a bamboo oil lamp. Jab's bag of belongings was just as sparse. He had sold most of his belongings and invested the money, saving some in a small black coin purse, and kept only two pairs of clothing, some training clothes, a jade brush that used to be his mother, a black cloak, and his father's headband. He hung the headband above his bed, all the clothes in his chest, and the brush on top of it, next to the lamp. He turned back to his elder, and found her holding a folded piece of clothing.

"Our clan's final gift for you, Jab. Made of the finest materials, this shirt will grow with you. No matter how large or small you are, this will fit you, and it is so light you won't even know it is there. Plus, it won't rip or tear, which I feel is something that will quickly occur to your other clothes. Here, try it on." The elder turned as he unrolled it.

The material was soft, black, and a little stretchy. He pulled his shirt off and slipped the new shirt over his head. When he had it on, he had to agree, he couldn't even feel the weight or pull of the shirt on his fur. Even better, a hood hung from his back, and he pulled it up, finding that even that fit perfectly, shrouding his face. The elder turned back around and looked him over. "I must admit, I didn't believe the claims about it fitting any size, but it does look like it fits you perfectly. Now Jab, it is your turn to bring our clan recognition and honor. Make us proud, make all tigers proud."

Jab ran forward and hugged his elder, something normally forbidden. When he ended the embrace, the elder smiled, wiped his eye of a single tear, bowed, turned, and left.

And thus, Jab Shadowfang entered the Jade Palace.

The first thing Jab did was sleep. He laid down on his bed and passed out. Three days of walking does that to a tiger. When he woke an hour later, he rubbed the grit from his silver eyes and went about brushing himself. He had just finished when his door slid open. Looking up and expecting a guard summoning him to dinner, he was surprised to see red furred vixen fox and a spotted snow leopard in his doorway.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before fox smiled brightly. "Now HE is cute, just look at that dark fur. The vixen sauntered into the room, causing her large breasts to jiggle in her uniform that looked like it was deliberately a size too small. "Definitely better than those wolf twins." The leopard still stood in the door, looking him over. "My name is Nora," the fox said, sitting next to him on the bed, "And shyness over there is Kiara."

"My names is Jab," Jab said after finding his voice, which he almost lost again when Nora leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees. "Just got here from the Western Mountain region."

"Oh, now that's a long way from home. Look at you, leaving an exotic place and your parents to be a warrior. Kiara's from the northern mountains. I'm from a town east of here."

Jab's tail dropped and he ears flattened. "My parents are dead." Nora put a hand to her mouth in shock. Jab shrugged, but kept his gaze down. "Fever."

When Jab finally looked up, it was into the bluest eyes he had ever seen. Kiara had left her spot in the doorway and now knelt in front of him, her paw on his. "My parents were taken from me also. I've been here two months now. This place," She said, looking around, "This place will feel like home soon." They locked eyes again, and Jab smiled softly. Kiara returned it with her own before shaking her head and standing up. "We, uh, we should go. It's almost time to eat." Jab and Nora both nodded and stood, and Nora gave Jab a quick hug before they headed out the door.

The kitchen was crowded and full compared to Jab's room. Pots, pans, baskets, bags, and cabinets lined the walls, with a large table for six in the middle of the room. Six medium sized bowls crowded the table, full of what looked to be rice and beans.

The three seated themselves together at one end, Kiara in the middle with Jab and Nora on the sides. Jab was about to say something when two more entered, grey wolves that looked exactly alike save one had a scar on his nose. A smile spread across the duos faces as they saw Jab, and the scarred one pridefully strode over to Jab's side.

"You, cat, are in my seat." The wolf said smoothly, his smile fading to a satisfied smirk.

Jab shrugged. "Didn't see a name tag. Last I checked this isn't kindergarten."

The smirk quickly left the wolf's face as the girls chuckled. "I don't need a tag. It is my seat. Now move!" With that, the wolf grabbed Jab with both his paws and threw him into the corner, smashing a grain filled basket. "So go sit next Len."

"Ah come on Troy, why does he have to sit next to me?" Len complained.

"Because I want to be next to Shifu. Duh." Troy turned his glare back to Jab. "Hurry up cat. He's on his way." Jab stood slowly and growled at Troy, but knew there was nothing he could do. He sat next to Len, who growled at him. Jab growled back, and that was the end of it. Everyone soon began to eat in silence save Kiara, who sat there, waiting. Jab noticed this and followed suit.

Suddenly, Shifu appeared behind Troy. "Ah, good, three volunteers for cleaning duty tonight." Troy's tail poofed in shock as he choked on rice, beans falling from his mouth. "Jab, Kiara, thank you for waiting for me." He sat down next to Troy, and then looked over his shoulder at the broken basket. "Oh, and Troy, seems a basket broke. Please see to it that it is repaired before supper tomorrow." Troy nodded dumbly as Shifu began to eat.

The meal was quiet as everyone ate together for the first time. Troy shot a glare at Jab, who merely smirked back. Eventually, the master spoke.

"As you know, the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five are out on a mission. We do not know when they will be back, but they have requested the training of a new five for the valleys protection and to promote growth of the palace. We sent out the tests, and you five passed. Congratulations are in order, for it is a great honor to have you here. I am your master, and I promise to teach you what you need to know." Jab's ear twitched at that. Shifu raised an eyebrow and looked over at him. "Have something to say Jab?"

Jab looked around at the other four. "You said need to know. Does that mean there are things you will not teach?"

"Just because I will not teach them, does not mean they cannot be learned. Learning only ever truly ends when one stops seeking and craving more knowledge." Jab nodded in acceptance. "Now tomorrow, we begin at sunrise, before breakfast. The guards will wake you for the first few days, but after that, you are on your own." He rose, and the students followed suit, bowing as he left.

Jab took a few more large bites before following suit. He wasn't very hungry, and even with his nap he was still tired. As he walked back to the dormitories, he was stopped by a swarm of lightning bugs. He watched as they flew around him, and then disappeared off on a hidden side trail. Were it not for the bugs, he never would have even noticed it. Looking up at the dormitory building, he shrugged. He could use a good walk in the trees.

He strolled through the bushes and quickly realized the trail was much larger than it seemed. The trees hid it well. The air was cool, and the trees and plants around him relaxed him, made him feel at home, and filled the air with the smell of nature. He had the fight the urge to climb one. He passed over a bridge whose stream was long dried, and soon found the trail taking an uphill turn. He pushed on, and soon found himself in a small clearing, which looked to be an outcropping off the side of the mountain. That's when he saw the peach tree.

He approached it slowly, for some reason feeling very wary. He felt like he wasn't alone in this place, like someone was there watching. As he circled the tree, he found it empty. He even took the extra step of looking into the branches. He sighed, spun on his heels, and fell against the tree, finding it surprisingly comfortable. He closed his eyes and sighed, just enjoying the ability to relax. He was beginning to dose off when he heard soft footsteps approaching.

Fearing Troy, Len, or the two together, he kept silent and waited. He listened as they got closer, but to his relief it was neither Troy OR Len, but Kiara, whose path took her past him and stopped right in front of him. Her back was to him, and, fearing that he would startle her, he remained motionless. She was looking up at the stars in the clear night sky, as if looking for one in particular.

Suddenly, she sighed and fell backwards.

Normally, she would have landed perfectly into the nook of the tree. Instead, she found herself in Jab's lap. Her claws instantly stuck into his legs as she tried to register just what she had landed on, and Jab winced while quickly whispering "It's just me, Jab, the new guy." He winced again as she tried unsuccessfully to unattached her claws. "I'll scoot over if you'd like."

"I am so sorry." She blurted out, still struggling. "I wasn't expecting anyone here."

"No no, it's fine. I should have said something." He reached around her, gripped her paws, and gave a quick yank, pulling the claws from his legs and allowing her to slide off his lap to his side. "I was just being cautious."

She sat silently for a moment before softly asking "In case it was Len or Troy?"

"Yea… that." They sat in an awkward silence for several long seconds, Jab looking at the view to his left and Kiara looking at the dirt between her feet. "I'll leave you be. I didn't know it was yours." Jab said softly, making a move to stand. But Kiara's hand flashed and gripped his tightly, making him turn to look at her.

"No, please, stay." Realizing she had grabbed his paw, she let go crossed her arms across her chest. "It's more relaxing when I'm not alone." Jab smiled softly and nodded, and sat back down next to her. She leaned against him slightly, and then looked back up into the dark night sky. He did as well, watching the stars twinkle, seeing a few dance across the sky. About an hour later, they heard voices on the main trail, loud and rowdy, making Jab's ears perk slightly. "Maybe we should go, it's getting late." Jab nodded and yawned as Kiara stood. As she stretched, Jab watched in fascination. He snapped out of it when she turned around and looked down at him. "Coming?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, just stretching my legs a bit." He pushed himself up as Kiara started back towards the trail, her tail casually caressing his face. It stunned Jab momentarily, not knowing if it was deliberate or not, but he quickly recovered and followed her back up the trail. It was much darker now, but Jab didn't mind. The darkness relaxed him, and with his fur being darker than most tigers, he enjoyed a unique ability to blend into the night well. Mix that with his great eye sight, he was fine in any setting, day or night. And Kiara being a snow leopard, he assumed her eye sight was just as good. They soon found themselves back on the stone trail to the dormitory.

Suddenly Jab whirled around, muscles going tense and eyes wide. He could have sworn he heard someone say his name, right in his ear. Kiara, several steps ahead of him, looked over her shoulder at him. "What is it?" She asked.

A pit formed in Jab's stomach, but he just shook his head. "I don't know." Kiara waited for him to turn and catch up, and they soon got to the dormitory and entered. Everyone's lights were still on and doors opened. Troy sat on the bed fixing the basket he broke. Len was running a comb through his fur. Nora was stretching, doing front bends, towards the door, giving Jab a hard time keeping his head straight. As Jab and Kiara both turned to enter their rooms, Jab spun back around and stopped her. "How did you lose your parents?"

Kiara looked at him, a soft and distant pain filling the depths of her eyes. "They were poisoned." Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat before continuing. "I was at a friend's house the night it happened. It killed them while they slept. Doctor said that had the dose been correct, it would have taken much longer, and looked just like the fever. The assassin made a mistake. Didn't account for me not being there."

The pit in Jab's stomach turned into a boulder. Jab nodded slowly and stepped back. "Thank you. Sleep well." He slowly closed his door, then turned to his bed and fell into. He was asleep in seconds.


	2. Chapter 2

The Grey Owl watched the leopard's body slowly sway from his noose. It had taken too much of his precious time hunting down the pitiful excuse for an assassin. Where the man failed at killing all his marks, he was quite successful at hiding. He heard soft wings and the clack of talons on stone as a hawk landed behind him. "Any news of the five?" He asked, his low, rumbling voice hushed.

"No sir. They are still missing. The palace has five new recruits though."

"Took them long enough." The large owl sighed. "At least this oaf stopped one of the three I wanted dead and untrained. Fool couldn't even get the poison levels right when he was in his brothers home, with no pressure, and all the time in the world." He swung his massive wing, its metal armor hitting the limp corpse with a sickening crack and giving it a new trajectory of swaying. "And those fools in the palace don't even know of the power their building rests on. And even with just two of them there, there is still a chance they will uncover it too early." He sighed and recomposed himself. "Come, we have work to do. China is in need of balance."

The owl took off without a sound, his wings silently slicing the air, leaving the hawk on the cobblestone below. The hawk gazed at the body hung from the lamp post outside the school house, and shook his head softly. "No pressure? When you're killing family?" He strode forward, using his wings to stop the body from swinging, and made sure the eyes were closed. "You did as well as you could. Know this, I could never do what you have done. Now rest in peace, wherever you may have been sent." And with that, there was a rush of wind, and the streets were empty.

Almost empty.


	3. Chapter 3

From what he could tell, Jab was the first to wake. He had hoped this would happen, as he usually had a very early internal clock, even if he had been up a little late last night. He jumped through the window and jogged to the bath house that was down the path and slightly to the left of the dormitories. The water was already steaming, which didn't surprise him. It was a natural spring, so he assumed it would be so. He dropped himself with a thought, the water tingling his skin through his fur.

A goose walked in and saw him, almost completely submerged, and ran forward squawking. "No no you must get out, it will burn you!"

Jab looked up at the goose, and then sighed into the water, which in turn came out as bubbles. He walked up the stone steps he was supposed to have used to enter and turned to the goose, who was still fussing. "One could only wish." The goose watched him leave with his mouth open in disbelief, Jab's fur steaming in the morning cold.

He climbed to the roof of the dormitories to dry off, having no desire to change clothes. The suns glow slowly began to fill the dark sky, and Jab sighed. He enjoyed the darkness, and he had always been the best at the night games. Still wet, he realized he would have to dry himself with one of the towels in the hallway below him.

He had finished drying when the guards came to wake them. He stood patiently outside his door for the others to stumble out of their rooms. Even Kiara, who had been here for some time already, seemed drowsy. She gave him a small smile, which he returned with a nod. When Jab looked down the hall again, he saw Shifu standing there, unnoticed by the other three, who were still waking.

"Before we begin, I need to go over a few rules, a few lessons, and few manners. Things that must always be followed and never broken." Jab sighed, and tried to keep a straight back as Shifu lectured them for an hour. By the time it was done, his head and back were both sore. "Ok, now that that's covered, to the main yard. Time for some training, as I'm sure you are all looking forward to." Shifu chuckled to himself, and then walked out, the students stepping in line behind him.

The training yard was empty except for six straw mats littered around on the ground. Shifu stood on the one nearest to the training hall, and turned around, beckoning the others to take mats as well. Jab chose one in the corner, and was happy to see Kiara take the one closest to his, though slightly in front of. "Remember to pay attention to Shifu." She whispered back to him, winking. Confused, Jab nodded.

Shifu then led the students through some basic stretching techniques, and Jab realized what she had meant. Several of the poses showed Kiara's curves rather splendidly. Kiara caught him looking several times, but that only elicited a pleased smile from her.

When they had finished they were sweaty and sore, and Jab began to remember why he had quit yoga the first time he tried it. Shifu then instructed them to form a straight line across the span of the open gate. When they had gotten in place and turned back to him, he was holding a small, brown ball with strange golden line etched into it. Shifu bounced it several times, and then tossed it over the wall. The students turned and saw it land several yards down the hill, then continue to bounce down the path. They turned back to Shifu, puzzled. "Oops. It seems I dropped my ball. Would you please retrieve it for me?" Confused, they looked at each other, and then realized he was telling them to chase it. They all took off through the gate at the same time.

Jab watched the ball bounce several times as he ran, and watched as it began to bounce in strange directions. Then he began to notice other things. The ball was not kicking up dirt of flattening grass when it landed. When it passed near a bush, the branches were not moved out of the way like they should when a ball hits them. He stopped running as the others rushed past, and turned back to the gate.

As he looked, a faint golden glow at the top of a flag pole caught his eye, a glint in the sunlight. He began to jog back to the gate, looking for his way up, finding it as a tree near the wall. Several jumps and some balancing later, and he was at the top of the wall, carefully moving towards the pole. The banner hanging from it flapped lazily in the breeze, a tiger clan emblem sewn into its fabric. He grabbed it and gave the pole a shake, and the golden glow from the top fell off, right into his hand.

It was the brown ball. Jab watched the others chasing the illusion, and then hit the ball with an open palm, causing the illusion to vanish. He chuckled as they looked around confused, then turned to the courtyard and saw Shifu watching him. Jab quickly climbed down and jogged to Shifu, kneeling in front of him and holding out the ball. Shifu looked down at him before slowly reaching out and taking it.

"Impressively done, Jab. That was unexpectedly quick. Looks like you just earned your team a longer breakfast period." Shifu tossed the ball in the air and it disappeared in a flash of light, causing Jab to stagger back a few steps, eliciting a chuckle from the small panda. "I want you to know you are only the second to find the orb so quickly."

As Shifu walked away, Jab mustered the courage to ask "Who was the first?"

Shifu answered without turning. "Master Tigress beat you by five seconds."

Jab nodded, then turned to see the others had just walked through the gate. "Where was it? It just disappeared on us." Troy asked, panting heavily.

"It was an illusion. Shifu threw the actual ball on top of the flag pole. Didn't you notice it not kicking up dust?"

Kiara shuffled her feet. "I guess that explains how it just went straight through that tree. So what did Shifu say?"

"Extra-long breakfast period!" The other four shouted in delight, running inside, Jab following calmly. Several bowls of bean buns and dumplings awaited them, along with a plate of vegetables. Jab grabbed several of the buns that were left after the other four's initial pass over, and sat down at the end of the table, watching everyone smash on the rest of the food. Needless to say, the extra-long breakfast period was unneeded, as the food was gone almost instantly.

While everyone else stayed at the table and talked or joked, Jab got up and went looking for Shifu. Something had been nagging him, and the feeling of being watched hadn't left since the night before. As he walked the ornate halls, the sad tunes of a bamboo flute began echoing against the jade pillars. At first it was to his left, then his right. He began running towards the sound, but it always changed where it came from.

Finally he pinpointed the correct direction, but to no avail. All that lay in front of him was a jade wall, cracked and splintered like a giant spider web. He put his ear against the cracks as the tune came to a slow end. Jab stood there and listened to the silence for several long moments before taking a step back.

"Find something interesting?" A voice from behind him asked. Jab whilred around, claws out and ears down. Shifu chuckled softly. "The glorious dragon warrior dropped his side of the slate when we rebuilt the temple. Landed on a rock that was jutting out of the ground, causing this cracking pattern." Shifu walked up to the wall and placed his hand on the cracks. "The masons demanded it remain this way. They said the cracks formed a protective rune, and that it was good luck for the Palace."

"Where are they, sir." Jab asked softly.

Shifu sighed and slowly turned to face the young tiger. "Closer than ever before, young one, but still out of our physical reach." With that he limped away. Jab turned back to the stone wall, and for some reason unbeknownst even to him, he bowed to it. And with that, he went back to join the others. It was day one of training day, and he had a wolf to hit.


	4. Chapter 4

Troy hit the ground hard, sliding sever feet before hitting a small rock. Jab stifled a chuckle. Troy was getting his tail handed to him, and he had the best seat in the house. Shifu stood to his left, stroking his whiskers, while Len and Nora stood to his right. And in front of him, holding a perfect finishing form, was Kiara, breathing slightly labored but a wry smile on her face. "Well done Kiara, seems the last two weeks are beginning to show rather well. Troy, you cannot be afraid to strike, no matter the gender of your opponent." He looked thoughtfully at Kiara, and then turned to Jab. "Your turn Jab. Show me how you can properly defend yourself from a woman, and try to do a little offensive movement. I'm tired of watching the women dominate." Jab bowed and stepped into the square, inwardly worried.

Kiara took several steps back, placing herself on the other side of the dueling square, opposite of him. They both bowed to each other, and then began to stare each other down. After a few moments and a grunt from Shifu, they both gave up and began circling each other, getting closer and closer with each rotation.

The only warning Jab got was a quick twitch of Kiara's tail. But that was all he needed. He jumped back, avoiding her first kick, and blocked her second with a quick middle block. Unfortunately for Jab her kick found his nerve, seemingly planned, and effectively numbed his left arm. He spun out of her reach with a retreating kick and quickly began circling her again. They were both tired from the hours of training they had already had that day, and the sun had already begun setting, covering the sky in orange light. But Kiara had the advantage of two weeks of getting used to this sort of training, and had more energy and endurance than anyone there. Jab would have to get crafty.

He continued circling her, and they traded several punches and kicks, Kiara even managing to trip him up, almost allowing her a pin. But then Jab had an idea. The branches of the trees outside the wall were covering the blinding rays of sunset light, but the soon was on the verge of passing even those. He dodged several more attacks, then rolled past her and behind her. She spun quickly to maintain visual contact, just as the sun passed the lower branches. Her face was lit up by the sunlight, and she staggered back, blinded. Jab lunged forward, took her legs out from under her, twisted her arm, and pinned her to the ground, his knee pressed into her back.

The square was silent as every watched in shock. Kiara, the side of her head pushed into the ground, stare up at Jab, breathing heavily. She struggled slightly, causing Jab to tighten his grip. A slight purr emitted from her, which she instantly quelled with a blush. Jab flattened his ears, but quickly composed himself, looking to Shifu.

"Jab, that was most impressive timing with the sunlight. Well done using nature to give you an advantage. Your takedown needs work, and your blocking is clumsy. Kiara, your kicks need to be more precise. A few more precise nerve kicks like the first one and he would have been down without much effort at all. Well done, both of you. Jab, please help her up." Jab stood up quickly and took Kiara by the arm, pulling her to her feet. She quickly bowed to him, then to Shifu, and then quietly walked to the edge of the ring, taking the spot between Shifu and Nora, who elbowed her playfully. "Alright everyone, I'm going to go have dinner be prepared. I want everyone to go find a place of their choosing, away from each other, and meditate. If you don't know how to do that, just sit in one place and try not to think of anything. For now, that will suffice."

With that Shifu chuckled, turned and walked towards the main hall, leaving the students alone. Kiara looked over at Jab. He knew what he was going to ask and simply nodded to her. He had his own idea on a place.

They each left at the same time, leaving the other three confused at what to do, Kiara towards the hidden path, Jab back to the wall. He had noticed the spot earlier that day when he had to get the glowing orb for Shifu, and he wanted to check it out. A quick leap and a jump later, and he was back on top of the wall. He looked around for several moments before he found it, a small wooden bean sticking out from the wall, worn but sturdy.

He quickly jumped to the think beam and sat down in a cross legged position. Pushing himself back against the wall, he leaned back and closed his eyes, relaxing for the first time that day. He took in a deep breathe, and held it. _I'm sitting on the wall of the Jade Palace where I am being trained to become a Kung Fu warrior._ The thought was too much for him, and he began coughing up his air. Clearing his throat he tried again.

He had learned the basics of meditation from the elders of his tribe when they watched over him after his parents death. Sit still, breathe slow, relax, and let your thoughts go. He sighed, missing the village, then began to slowly breathe in and out. His mind slowly began to relax, his thoughts began to flow out.

But then, a thought pushed itself in. It was the furious five, fighting strange dark shapes. Suddenly, Po jumped into the mist, light beaming from his outstretched paws. _BAM!_

Jab was physically shoved back against the wall. Something had mentally slapped him out of his vision. He rubbed the back of his head, surprised he had actually felt a little pain, and when his paw came back there was rubble in it. Turning around, he found his head had broken a brick in half, revealing a hidden chamber with several scrolls in it. He pulled them out, four in all, and laid them in his lap. As he was about to open one of them, Kiara walked out of the gate a few yards away, and below him.

"Hey furball, you going to come eat or what? The gong rang ten minutes ago and we're hungry!" She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Also, if I ever come out here after meditation and see you face first in the dirt, you can't say I didn't warn you."

Jab put the scrolls back into the hole and covered it as best he could. "OK ok, I'm coming, keep your shirt on." He rolled off the beam and landed in front of her. "There, see? Got down just fine."

Kiara shook her head, chuckling. "Come on, let's go eat so we can go to sleep. I'm almost as hungry as I am tired. Race you there!" They both bolted to the hall.

During dinner, Jab kept quiet about his vision. For all he knew it was him falling asleep and dreaming. He didn't mention the scrolls either. He wanted a chance to find out what they were before they were taken away from him. After their playful burst in the yard, Kiara ha pulled into herself over dinner. Everyone in the room was talkative besides Kiara and him, even Shifu was joking around with Nora. Thankfully no one noticed, allowing Jab to eat silently and think.

After dinner, Jab walked back to the barracks. He had debated going back to the peach tree, but Kiara seemed slightly embarrassed from earlier, so he decided to give her space. As he walked past the hidden path, he stopped and looked into the trees. Fireflies fluttered about, and the breeze caused the trees sway slowly. It was so peaceful, yet seemed to hold a hidden danger. He shuddered, a strange chill traveling down his spine.

He shook his head and turned back to his path, trudging forward. As he rounded a large boulder, he almost ran right into Kiara. "Oh, uh, hey Kiara. Heading to the tree?"

"Yea, I was kind of hoping you were going there tonight." She trailed off, looking down shuffling her feet. "Anyway it's not a big deal, I'll see you in the morning." She pushed past Jab and rushed down the path, leaving Jab staring after her.

He stood there in the moonlight. He was torn. He didn't know if he should go or stay. He had thought she would be far off, awkward, removed. Instead, she still wanted him to be there. _Geez I am thinking way too much into this. It's only been a day. We're hardly even friends!_ He turned and quickly walked back to the hidden path. The fireflies danced around him as he pushed through the dense growth and over the stone bridge. He soon found he had to physically restrain himself from running.

As he burst into the small clearing he saw her standing under the tree. He stopped and took a steadying breath, his heart beat strangely accelerated. He walked forward slowly, making his steps loud enough to be heard, not wanting to startle her again. She did not turn to him when he stopped by her said. She wasn't even looking up at the stars. Her arms were crossed across her chest, and her head was bowed. "Are you ok?" He asked softly. She turned away from him.

"My parents are dead. I'm in a strange place. I don't know anyone. I don't know anything. I feel constantly watched, I'm constantly being pushed to my limits, I'm just… just…" She choked on the last words. Jab reached out and out a hand on her shoulder. She tried to pull away, but he instead pulled her in to a hug. She began to cry against his chest. Deep, chest shattering sobs. With each gasp for breath, Jab held her a little tighter. With each painful sob Jab's heart burned a little stronger. And with each tear Jab's determination got a little tougher.

"You are not alone, Kiara. As long as I'm here you will always have someone." This caused Kiara to burst into a renewed fit of sobs. As Jab held her, he looked up into the star filled sky, the distant shining heavens, and swore revenge on whoever did this to her.

They never sat under the tree that night. He held her into the deep hours of the night before leading her back to her room. He didn't let go until she was lying down on her cot. She fell asleep as he backed slowly out of the room, his gaze never breaking from her form.


	5. Chapter 5

**So I accidentally posted a bit of person poetry on here when it was supposed to be this. Anyway, problem fixed. **

Jab ran out of the steam pool as fast as he could, an angry goose with a metal pan chasing him. He had gotten there early today so that he could soak longer, but today the caretaker was armed. Standing in the middle of the path, he sighed and sat down. He missed feeling.

But he was confused. He had felt Kiara pressed against him perfectly, her tears, her form shaking sobs, her paws as they gripped at his chest. But he had just sat in a pool, steaming to the point where even a rhino wouldn't stick his toe in it, and he had felt nothing. _Maybe I just can't feel pain_. He thought mildly to himself. _I heard Master Tigress was the same. Should probably ask about this sooner or later._ He held his paw up in front of him, watching his claws extend and retract.

He had noticed the lack of feeling a few days after he recovered from fever. _Survived._ He reminded himself. He had been punching a wall, screaming, crying, praying. When he finally stopped, his paws had been bloody and torn, and a hole in the stone wall had appeared, tufts of his fur hanging from the jagged edges.

The town healer had instantly been called when they found him keeled over on the stone path, retching and crying and bleeding. They bandaged him up and sent him home with an elder. And little by little, since that day, he felt less and less. In fact, last night was the first time he had felt in a long time.

_Maybe it is just pain I can't feel._ Shifu would know. He was sure he'd find time to ask him later.

The gong sounded in the distance and he realized he was late. He ran to the barracks to find the others already standing outside their doors, but to his relief Shifu was not there yet. As he quickly walked to his room, Nora smiled brightly at him. "You should most definitely train shirtless. Right Kiara?" Kiara smiled and averted her gaze, but said nothing. As Jab walked back out of his room with his shirt half on he saw Shifu waiting at the end of the hall.

"Glad you could join us Jab. If you could, I'd like a word with you before you begin today." Troy chuckled and sent a sidelong sneer in Jab's direction, who merely bowed in acknowledgment. "As for the rest of you, breakfast is waiting in the kitchen. After that, you have until lunch to traverse the thousand steps ten times, at your pace. But if you do not complete them by lunch, you will be forced to do another ten, on top of the sets you missed, after lunch." Troy's smirk was quickly reduced to a sad look of fear. As everyone walked out of the barracks, Jab stood at his doorway, waiting for Shifu.

He approached slowly, looking tiger up and down. _Muscular. Toned. Healthy. Nothing that puts him out of the ordinary except his darker fur._ When Shifu got to Jab, he faced and looked up at him, meeting his eyes. _His eyes as well._ Jab's silver eyes were deep, almost piercing.

"Jab, I've been hearing things from the grounds keeper about you since you arrived. He's found you in the thermal pool in the morning, before it has reached safe temperatures." He paused, thinking over his words. "He claims he has found you in the pool up to your eyes, and that you emerged unharmed. Is this accurate?"

Jab broke his gaze and looked away from Shifu. "It is."

"Why are you putting yourself in such pain. I cannot have someone of unsound mind as a student."

"I assure you, I am of sound mind. I just… wish to prove something." He closed his eyes with a sigh. "To myself."

"What is it you are trying to prove to yourself Jab."

Jab opened his eyes and stared down at Shifu. "That I can still feel, and that I survived for a reason." A single tear fell from his eye. Shifu held eye contact for several moments, a look of recognition crossing his face, then one of deep thought, before waving his hand in dismissal. Jab bowed, and jogged from the room.

He did not go to the kitchen. He went straight to the front gate. The thousand steps spread out in front of him, along with the Valley of Peace, shining in the splendor of the morning sunrise. He was about to take his first step when he stopped himself. He looked down at the cotton shirt he had put on. It was covering who he was. It was covering what he was. He gripped the collar and pulled hard, tearing the shirt in two.

He let out a pained roar and tore down the steps. Shifu had pushed his buttons, gotten him emotional, gotten him feeling. But it wasn't pain. It wasn't joy.

It was regret. It was loss. It was the things that haunted him in his sleep and pushed him on during the day. And he ran down the stairs, gaining speed with every step. When he tripped and fell, he didn't feel it, he only got up and kept going. He ran. Because running, it seemed, was all that he could.

Nora and Kiara watched from the gate as Jab ripped off his shirt. Neither said anything, though Kiara flinched at Jab's roar of pain, as he took off down the stairs. "What do you think Shifu said?"

Nora smiled. "I don't know, but he should say more if it makes Jab take that shirt off!"

Kiara smacked her on the back of the head, growling. "Would you stop that! He is in pain! He is in emotional turmoil!"

Nora stepped back, rubbing the back of her head, grimacing. "Yea, but he's also the best looking guy here, and shirtless. Can't deny myself who I am." Kiara rolled her eyes and walked to the top of the steps. Nora walked up next to her, just in time to see Jab fall several yards of stone stairs. But as they watched, he stood as if nothing had happened and continued his descent. "Still hot. He likes you though. Maybe you can help?" With that, Nora was down the steps.

Kiara stood, watching Jab from afar. She was thinking of the night before. How tender and caring he had been. How protective he had been. She hugged herself as she felt the feelings creeping back into her mind, but she shook them off with another thought of Jab. She didn't know what she could possibly do.

But she would try. For him. And for herself.


End file.
